Soon
- jan-u-wine
It does me good
to watch
your sleep.
It puts my heart to rest
to see the swift
rise
and fall
of your breath
and know:
it is only
that the air
is sweet and new
and that
somehow,
even in the midst of dream
you find an end to wandering,
a finish to weary care.
a joy
in simply being alive.
Your eyes move
beneath sleep-weighted lids,
the least bit of a smile
finds your mouth…
your fingers
curve
as if they held the warm
smoothness
of a walking stick.
I know what you are dreaming of:
Home.
You are standing
upon the top of the Hill….
aren't you….
a summer day
turns to dusk.
Stars
twine the
stark fingers of trees,
grey smoke
curls
fragrant fog
into chilled night.
It has been a long day,
hasn't it……
and you are tired.
Only a few steps more
and you will be Home.
See,
there is the door,
and
the almost-warm
brass of the knob.
There are no lights
within,
I know.
Soon enough,
there will be.
Lights,
and warmth spilling
from the grate.
Soon, of a morning,
you will take tea
and a bit of warm
seed-cake
(you never did eat so well)
upon the disordered table,
soon, I will pause
in the midst of sun-drowned gardens,
to hear the scratched protest
of quill upon parchment,
or see,
through the window's round,
ink-blotched fingers
following the thread of silvery Elvish.
Soon, you may take your ease, of an evening,
in the deep forgetfulness of Bilbo's old chair.
Soon, you will find rest,
and dreamless sleep
within the soft confines
of your own *small* bed.
It will do me good
to watch your sleep then, too.
It will ease my heart
to know you have come Home..
Soon.
